The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, December 14, 1922, Image 5
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(Continued from last week)
j CHAPTER XIII
Tho Fate of a Prisoner.
The Seminole headed straight out
Into the lake. No sound of movement or
speech reached West's ears from the
cabin, and he settled down Into moody I
forgetfulness, still staring dully out
through the open port. What was to
be, would be, but there was nothing
for him to do but wait for those who
held him prisoner, to act. He was still
seated there, listless, Incapable even
of further thought, when the door was
suddenly unlocked. He had barely
time to arise to his feet, when the
man with the red mustache stepped
#vlthln, facing him, as he pushed tightly
shut the door behind.. The fellow's
eyes saw the severed rope on the
floor, and he smiled, kicking the
strands aside contemptuously.
"Smart enough for that, were youV
he asked. "Well, I would have taken
them off myself. If I had. thought
nbout It. How did you manage? Oh,
I see; rather a bright trick, old man."
The man's tone, and air of con
fldenee wns Impressive; beyond
dnnlit hp fplf- tlint Uio r-oi.il"
V..V vuiuo nnc ill I
in his hands. West drew in his hreutli
sharply. "May I nsk a question or
two?"
"Fire away; I'll nnswer as I please."
"Who is the woman on hoard?"
"Mary, you mean? Ilohart's wife."
"She came from the place on Wray
street last night In an auto?"
"Yes; I brought her along myself."
"Alone?"
"There were twe of us, Mark and ]
-why, what are yon driving atl"
"Just putting some broken threads
together. Then Natalie Coolidge Is not
on this yacht?"
"I should say not. What would we
be doing with her out here?"
"Where is she, then?"
"Oh, I begin to see what brought
you aboard *o easily. West. Yon
inuu)iiii ivc iiiiu uiv limy Kiiiiin|itMi
and was sailing off with her. Some
stunt, that. What put the idea in your
head?"
West hesitated a moment, hut decided
a truthful answer would do no
harm.
"I knew an automobile had driven
out of the alley buck of Mike's place;
and that a woman was In It. When 1
j?ot away a little later. I picked up a
message?a note which had been
dropped. It was written In a woman's
hand hut unsigned?"
"The Uttle cat! She dropped IrT"
"It seems so. You forjmt yourself
that time. So she wns with you. was
she?"
"I don't know what you month I
told you who were with me. Go on;
what did the note say?"
"It was only a request for the police
to search the Seminole at once."
"Oil, that's the way the wind blows.
But you preferred to tackle the job
yourself. I am certainly obliged to
you, West." *
"You have no reason to be. I took
that note to the police, and they are
on the case. They are combing the
city right now for llobart, and If they
get him, this bubble of yours Is likely
to be pricked."
"H?I, they won't get him. There
Isn't a fly-cop In Chicago who could
locate Jim in a week, and as for
V..?o1U lw?ll....A -b - -bi- I
iiniuMC! inrntrtr mi* Mie in ijuuu unit;
to take eare of herself.* .
"But where is she?"
"At home, of course, If you uust
know?'Falrlawn,' isn't thnt the name
of the place? We left her there on our
way to Jackson park."
"Then the girl was with you?"
"Spilled the beans, didn't I? That
f comes from talking too much. However,
there Is no harm done. Sure
she left with us, but we dropped her
out at Fnirlawn. It was her machine
we were riding In. Say, you've questioned
me about enough, so let up.
Listen now?you will stay in this stateroom
until we get ready to let you
out. Don't try irtiy funny business,
either, for If you do, you are going to
get hurt. There Is a guard outside In
the cabin, and we are not afraid to
shoot out here on the lake. Nobody
knows where you tire West; so, If
^ mm
44If You Want to Live, Keep Quiet."
you want to live, keep qul^t?that'i
milAiUaS
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COPYRIGHT 1922 fey
AUBEO AKNOPf Mt
He odipped out, closing and locking
the door behind him. West, more
thoroughly confused .than ever over
tlie situation in which he- found himself,
paced the brief length of the narrow
stateroom, and then paused to
sta?? moodily out of ttie port.
He had learned little of the slightest
| value; merely that Natalie had been
of the party leaving In the automobile
the night before. She, undoubtedly,
bail been the one who had dropped
the note. Then, In spite of all they
I said about her, In spite of what she
I had told him, she was actually a prli"f?
oner, desperately begging for assist*
ance to escape. As to the other thing!
llogan hud told him, the probability
was tliev wero nin?tl? lino
? . -"J "cai un?|
not believe the girl had returned to]
I "Fairlnwn," the story did not soundl
j natural. The longer he thought It all
over, the more thoroughly was he conI
vlnced the girl and he were both prisoners
on the same vessel. Yet what
eould he do? He sunk down, with head
In his hands, totally unnerved?It wai
his fate to attempt nothing; only to
wait on fortune.
Mark brought In food, merely opon?
Ing the door slightly, and sliding 11>?
tray In on the floor. No words wer<
exchanged, nor was the tray removed
until Just at twilight, when the fellow
nnnearod nun in on n ainiiii,? ..o..-,;?
It became dark, but no light was fui>
nlshed. Outside the clouds bad thick)
ened, und a heavy swell was tossing
tlic vessel about rather roughly. Seem,
ingl.v the engine was merely endeavor I
Ing to maintain head-way, with n?
port In Immediate prospect; they wen
steering aimlessly Into the promise
of a stormy night. No sound reached
him from the cabin, ami finally, won
out mentally and physically, Wesl
flung himself on the lower hunk, and
lay there motionless, stating up hits
the Intense darkness.
Lying there motionless, yet widt
awake. Ills senses nlert nrml/t
the labored efforts of the vessel, th<
slop of naves ana Inst the side, the
rush of water astern. The Seminole
rolled heavily, yet there was nothing
at all alarming in her actions, and
I West felt no premonition of illness,
or fear as to the sea-worthiness of the
little craft. He endeavored to arouse
himself, to keep awake, but dually
fatigue conquered, and be sank Into a
deep sleep. He hud no knowledge of
how long ibis slumber lasted, or
what suddenly awakened him, so startled
:it the moment that lie sat up in
the berth, staring into the blackness.
Was it a dream, or a realityV Had
some one spoken? He could neither
see nor hear anything; the boat
seemed to be motionless, not even
throbbing now to the beat of the engine?the
silence was uncanny. Something
was wrong, must be wrong.
Where were they?at anchor in some
iiarnor or ncipicssiy, adrift on the
lake? Tlu> yaehl rocked gently, as
though the swell of the sea no longer
huiTeted her; there was no sound of
action on the deck ubove. Then he
heard a voice again, outside, reaching
him this time plainly through the fcpen
port.
"All set, Mopes," it said sharply.
"Come on down. You finished the
job?"
"Ay, ay, sir," the answer gruff, but
with a tinge of excitement In the tone.
"She's fixed all right. Hold hard, now,
mate."
West leaped to the port-hole, and,
PTwIlMIVfiridl a
...... ?. nimmil.
If land was near it remained invisible,
nor could be even be sure of the close
-proximity of a boat. There seemed
to be a smudge there afethe left, a.
black, lumping shadow, shapeless
against the background of sea; yet
he could not be sure. Even us he
gazed at It doubtfully, the dim object
disappeared, fading away like u
mirage. Something told him that mysterious
shadow was a bout, a boat
filled with men, creeping away silently
into the night, fleeing from the yucht,
and vanishing into the darkness
What coil hi such action mean? Had
every one gone, leaving the vessel
totally abandoned, a wreck buffeted
by the surges, doomed to go down,
unseen, Its final fate unknown? Unknown!
The word rising to his bruin
was the answer. There was the crest
of the plot. What could be easier, or
safer, than this ending? Who would
'ever know the truth? Who could ever
prove anything, even if they suspected?
And who was there to sus|iect?
It was a plot infernal.
Hut If Natalie Coolldge was also
nrlsoner mi l?rwnr,l ?'lm? "> 1
Wasn't tliut the very thing most prnh-,
aide? Of course It was; how foolish
he had been. These inen, recklessly
criminal, as they were, would never
sacrifice the yacht, and risk their own 1
lives, merely to put him out of the
way. He was not important enough
for that; he was hut an Incident.
While this was?must he?a carefully
arranged plan. The girl then must he
the real victim?his own plight arose
merely because he chanced to ho
there, and the villains dare not leave
him alive to tell the story.
The certainty of this acted like an
electric shock. He must find the girl,
and serve her. Surely she must wel
come ins coming to tier assistance
now. She would be alone, free to reveal
the truth of all this strange mix-1
up of affairs; perhaps the old trust,
the old confidence between them
would he renewed. The hope Instant-1
ly inspired action. Ills caper eyes
searched the narrow confines of the
stateroom for some- possible weapon
with which to assak) >he door. The
toot stool alone itemed mailable.
. ^ . ... ,v . ' * \ I
yriti >r>^ f lii v/tt -' -
KwI5klS^thl>.ft^r lU?^agnld?r, ham-1
pered by the narrowness of space, he
struck again uud. again, with alt hie
Strength, until suddenly the lock gave,
and the door hurst open.
He stepped, cautiously forward, with
hands outstretched, and his groping
Angers came in sudden contact with
the cabin wall, which he followed,
circling to the left. In this manner iw ,
succeeded in Anally locating the door
opening out on to the deck, anil 1
weaved his wuy across to the righthand
stateroom door. It was locked
the key gone. He must break a waj
in; hut first he must explain to her,
so as to spure her the sudden trlght
of such an assault, lie rapped shurplj
on the panel.
"Miss Coolldge: you are there, ar?
you not?" k , 11
"Yes; who Is that?" almost a ?ry ol J
.1..11..i.t t~ ?
uc>.fj..v in me voice. "lou^-you Iiuve a
voice I know."
"I am Matthew West; but do not
ask questions now. The yacht is going
down, and I must hreuk this door ic
to release you. Stand back while 1
smash the boards. You hear und ui>
Iderstand?"
| "Yes?yes; I km safely away; havt
I no fear."
A lantern's flickering light revenled
the weapon lie required?a heavy
hatchet, and he snatched it up, ani
began to splinter the wood with well
directed blows. He worked madly
feverishly, swinging fhe sharp bladt!
with ail his strength and skill, goug '
lng out great splinters of wood, ant!
Anally forcing the lock 'to yield. lit
sprang eagerly through the opening 1
the hatchet still in his grasp, ant
faired her.
aii instant both paused, and thot
she cried out in sudden relief. ' Oh
It is really you. Captain West. I knou'
now. What lias happened? Ilow dl<
you come to he here?" ;
"Not now," lie insisted. "Don't as)
me now. Just come as quick as yoi
can. There Is no time for nnythlnj 1
hut action. Quick; let me take youi i
hand." i
She permitted him to draw liei i
through the door on to the hlurk, de
sorted deck. West, bracing himscll
to the sudden plunging, managed t? I
reach the rail. He drew hack, sick a' i
heart at the sight of tlie waves lap 1
ping the side almost on a levol with
tlie sloping deck on which lie stood.
The sight brought him home us never .
before, the drear deadly peril in which
tllOV II" ..."..I.I -
V..VJ mv? V. A1C ?> IMIIU III Ml MUllt* IllfUIlM
of rescue;, he must! He was bark In- <
stnntly, grasping her arm..
"Quick," lie cried. " "?u knew this i
yacht; wliat small boats did she car- 1
ry ?"
"Only the one; the .other was so
warped it had been taken ashore."
"Was there no li/e-raft? There must
surely he something of that kind."
"Yes, there Is; I remember now. It
Is forward there, near the englne-rooin
hatch."
The deck was already sloping to
port in a dangerous degree, and West
was compelled to cling to the rail, as
they slowly made pussuge forward
through the darkness. He lonitei* the
me-ratt at last, securely fastened-to
the side of the deck house, and, leaving
the girl to hold herself upright
as best she could, began to hack It
loose. Working with feverish impatience,
he realized suddenly that his
companion had deserted the place
where he had left her and was also
tugging and slashing at the lashings
of the raft. These finally yielded to
their blind attnck. Without the exchange
of a word the two grasped the
sides and shoved the thing hard down
against the port rail.
"Walt now," he cried exultantly.
"Stay behind, and brace yourself
against the hatch-cover. I'll get under110,111,
mi. 1 uff '?- *?-- ???
-<.<?? ?>.u mil vntc v/n uie rail Wie
two of us must shove It free overboard."
She understood instantly, and, with
a single swift trance at her dimly revealed
figure, \\>st straightened up,
hearing the full weight on his shoulders,
every muscle strained to the utmost,
as he thus pressed it over Inch
by inch across th^ wooden barrier.
Suddenly the great unwieldy mass slid
forward, poised Itself an instant on
the rounded rail. The yacht rolled
sharply to port. Hinging both on to
the deck together, hut sending the
raft crunching overboard, clear of the
side. West grasped Natalie, and
drugged her to her feet, but, even us
he held her in his urnis, ready to leap
out into tiie blaek water, the shuddering
vessel, with a last despairing effort,
partially righted herself, and
staggered on.
\ mi .von jump 10 wit' ran rrom me
rail?" he asked. "It Is either that, or
the water. Are you afraid to try?" I
"Afraid?no. Hold me; yes; that
way, but?but what ure you going to
dor I,
"Follow, of course; but I shall take
to the water. There are no oars here.
Nothing to use as a substitute for
them. I'll hnve to swim, and push that
old ark as far away as possible. Are
you ready?" j
She poised herself, held steady by
the grip of his hands, her eyes on the
dark outline of the floating raft. There
was no hesitancy, no questioning.
"Hay when," lie said sharply.
"Now." |
She sprang forward, gnd came down,
sinking to her knees, and clinging
fast, as the raft bohbed up and down
under her! sudden weighty dipping until
the water rolled completely over it
I
CHAPTER XIV
The Coming of Dawn.
West leaned far out, and could perceive
little exoept a bare, shapeless,
outline.
"I)ld you make It? Are you all,
right r
"Yes, I'm safe enough. But?but
Captain West, I want you to come." i
"I'm coming. Watch out,now?good I
Here goes."
He made the plunge, coming up to
the surface close lieslde the raft, the ,
which ne quivBij iniipvu wun
his hands. IIt? swam steadily, urKinx
thp unwieldy rnft away from the'
menacing side of the vessel, driven by
the necessity of escaping the inevitable
suction when she went down.
Gradually the distance widened, until
there extended a considerable waste
i between the two. Satisfied
I 666 quickly relieves Colds and
LaGrippe, Constipation, Biljouaness
and Headaches. I
j. "1" iiimh
She Went Down Bow First. j
that they were far enonprh away foi
aafety, he clambored cautiously upoi
the platform, the plrl as carcfullj
making room for him on the few drj
planks.
There wns nothing to sav, nothing 8
to do; for the moment at least thpj S
were safe, and perhaps morning woulf E
hrlnj; rescue. Suddenly West straight IB
ened up, aroused by a new interest?!!
surely that last wave went entlrelj R
over the yacht's rail; he could see tin
white fleam of spray us It brokit; and
yes. there was another! Then, almost
without warning, the end came. She
went down how lirst, the stern lifting
until West could discern the dark
outlines of the screw, and then
dropped like a stone, vanishing almost
instantly.
"That is the last of the Seminole,"
West said, feeling the necessity of
strengthening her. "Hut it is nothing ;
to frighten you. We ur*. safe enougli j
here. Hut you must keep your nerve; i
?e may no annul lor nours yet lierore
we are picked up."
"You are sure we will be?"
"Tito probability Is altogether in our
fa\or," lie insisted, us much to encourage
himself as her. "This is Lake i
Michigan in^ summer time, and botits
are plying everywhere. We shall sure- j
ly be sighted by something when day- i
light returns."
She was silent a moment, with head ;
again "bent forward.
"What do you suppose became of |
the men who desortnd iho viwiit ?j1i?
asked, her voice natural and quiet.
"Ashore, perhaps/by this time. They '
were certain they had done a good
Job, and eager to get away safely,
llogan never deemed it possible for us
to get away alive. As it wus, the escupe
was almost a miracle."
"A miracle!" softly. "Perhaps so,
yet I know who accomplished it. I
owe my life to you. Captain West,"
site paused doubtfully, and then went
on impulsively. "Won't you explain to
me now what it all means? How you
came to he here? and?ami why those
men sought in this way to kill me?"
"You do not know?"
"Only in the vaguest way; is it my
fortune? I have been held prisoner;
lied to, and yet nothin r 1ms been made
clear."
"It is a devilish conspiracy that has
Kor>n nlnf n I.,,," ?? I.H.. mi -...... I
MWM |MWiicu IVI a ivn^ Millie, ninu i
umn be a dozen Involved in it, one i
way or another, but, as near as I can
learn, the chief devil, the brains of the j
gaiiB, Is the fellow named Hobart. '
Have you known him?long?"
"No." she said doubtfully, "not unless
Me other name was Jim. There
wus fellow they called Jim. 11c wa< |_
rny jailor after that woman locked
me Into a room." J s
"wnere was this?"
"Why surely you must know. In that 1
cottage where we stopped with Per- ]
elval C'oolldge." i
He drew a deep breath, more tlior- ]
oughly puzzled than ever. What could i
he lier puruose to make so nolo au
effort to deceive? Ilis heart sank, but
he determined to go on, and learn how
far she would carry this strange tale. I 1
Perhaps out of the waiter he could i
discern some truth.
"The fellow's name is Jim, all right, '
Jim Hohart. The woman passes as his
wife. You knew nothing of all this?"
"No; I only saw the man twice; lie
was very rough then, und swore when
I questioner] him."
"And the woman?"
"She would not ta'k, either; oidy
once she told me that Percival Cooiidge
had committed suicide. That
made me wonder, for I believed ho
had something to do with my being
held there. What did he say when
he returned to the auto without me?
What explanation did he make for my ,
absence?"
"Explanation! lie needed none;
you came out of tlie cottage with j
him." i
"I? What do you mean?" (
"But I saw you with my own eyes, j
tnibiui ??.. ? --11 *i - ---
Itiincu nun .roil, mill nil Ullff l?l IIS
drove hack to 'Fairlawn' together. My jf!?(1,
Miss Natalie, have you lost your v
mind? Do you even deny dismissing |
me from your sen-fee?" N
She gazed at him through the |
gjoom, utterly unahle to eomi>reliend.
"I must liave. If what you say is
true." she admitted, "For I eertuinlv ?
have no such recollection." ?
He stared off into the black nlfcht,
his lips pressed closely together. \
Could this he false? Could she sit r
there calmly, in the midst of such peril t
ns surrounded them, and still de?
llberntely end?nvor to deceive? *1
"And you knew nothing of the death i
of Perclval Coolldge, except what was (
told you hy thnt woman?"
"She brought me a newspaper which <
T roiitl tliftf vvmia nil T L'noie " '
"And In that house on Wrny street
whore I met you again last night. And >
you tnlkod with mo; tri?*?I to pot me to
quit following you. Ton surely haven't
forget ton that nl ready ?"
She dropped hor faoe wearily into
her hands, and her volee sounded listless.
"I?T almost believe you are the
crazy one. Captain West. I swear 1
have never knowingly met. or spoken
to you since v.e drove to that cottage
ao Sunday. I cannot believe what you
Vj-U-.V. ? inAiii
1
A
A
Chemi
FER
???????????
t
i
Especially n
\
Mr. C
Will be ou
not
HOL1
BE!s
say."
"Yet It Is true, every word true";
lio asserted stoutly. "Why else should
I he here? You returned witli us tu
'Kairlnwn,' nnd we chatted togethei
pleasantly all the way. Later you
seemed to change, and discharged me
rather rudely. Then Perclval Coolldgl
was killed?shot down hy an assassin
You were at the Inquest, and testified
The next day you discharged Sexton
and later he learned, and reported t<
me, that some one called you on th<
phone from Wra.v street, and wanted
you to come over there at once. \
fount! you there, and this fellow IIo
bnrt with you."
"Rut. Captain West, I never ?au
you; I never left the room in the third
of/irtr vi-Kneo T ???o o l/\/il?o/1 1?
nt.vic i ivuii iui i\r\? in,
when they took me away In a inn
chlae to the yacht.
"You dropped a note In the alley
enclosed in a silver knife?"
"Yes, I did. Did you ftnd 11 ?"
"Sexton did, and that was whal
brought me here."
"But It Is all so strange," she ex
claimed despairingly. "How could I
have done all these tldnjrs, been In &l
lU'ge places, and yet know nothing
ibout 11? Could I have been drugged
>r infltlenced In stnne way by those
>eople?"
"1 do not believe you were either
i.vpnotized or drugged. Good G?<1;
v 11y did I not think of this solution
lefore? I must have been blind; that
vus not you; I can recall a hundred
ittle things now to convince me."
"What is it you mean?"
"Another woman played your part;
I ivnmuii WAn<1nM#nllu lib
ven to the voice. There is no other
lolutlon of tlie problem. And that rereals
tlie plan of robbery?to Ret you
?ut of the way, and then have her
ake tlie fortune."
She sat silent, motionless, apparenty
unable at once to grasp all" the
nenning in his words. Then she point>d
>awny into the distance. 1
"See, there is light over there," she
>xolaimed eagerly. "That must he the
list, and It is morning."
lie lifted his h"ead, and looked where
die pointed. A dull, gray light topped
he waters, and the sky above held a
'nint tinge of crimson. The wan glow
iceented the loneliness, and for the
noraent left him depressed. Nothing
lliiiciirnd within pumro nt
leak the drear monotony of gray sea
ind sky. Neither felt any desire to
(peak; they couhl only stare out siently
across the desolation of waters,
reeling their helplessness and peril..
Her head saqk forward Into her
fafi I
Vmericai
a v ui v ui
ical Con
TILIZ
IIGHES
GRAD1
nade for Cottor
Veevil Conditio
>. P. DOUG
r Representive.
see you, call on
LIS BR01
J N ETT3VILLE,
"See, There is Light Over There."
hnnn^. ee rr??nn?-i? sue would rails shul
out tlu> whole woinl picture, and West
aroused by the slight movement
glanced quickly aside. His bam
I sought her own, where It gripped foi
| support, and closed over It warmly.
"It cannot be as bad as It seems,'
; he Insisted, trying to ?ay the word!
i cheerfully. "I know these waters, anf
i they ate never long deserted. Luck
' will change, surely; perhaps withlt
! the hour we shall be nicked on nm
] can laugh at all this experience.
^ She lifted her head, and their eye!
met frankly.
[ , "I am not afraid," she protested
i "Not physically, at least. Truly t havt
| not felt fear since you joined me
Captain West."
"Illit you are very tired?"
"Perhaps so. yet I have not though!
about that. There are other tilings
you do not believe in me."
"Why say that?" he asked in aston
Ishment. "There is no question of tin
kind between us now."
"Truly, is there n??t ? What was 11
you Isdieved mo?-that?tluit I wni
part of tliis conspiracy?"
"1 do not know what I believed, II
I actually believed anything. Miss
j Natalie," he explained rather lamely
' 1 "I CUAUQL make the SitUttliQO. alio
%
..
' ' '
*
, * V
\. \ "'J
"IN
tl
pal
L Ml
ipanys
;ers
?
T
E
i under Boll
ns I
LASS
If he does
him. :
[HERS I
s. c.
.
I
I '
I pother clear oven to myself. Under
i the circumstances, you cannot condemn
me justly."
"Condemn ! I drunot. How could I?
You must have kept faith In me, nevertheless,
or you would never be here
now. That Is what spems marvelous to
me?that you actually eared enough
to believe."
"I realize now that I have." he said
gravely. "Through It all I have kept a
very large measure of faith In you."
"Why should that faith have survived?"
she questioned persistently, at
though doubt would not wholly leave
her mind. "Surely there was never a
madder story told than the one I told
you, and I couldn't have proven an
Item of It."
"Vet it has shown itself true," he
Interrupted.
"You actually believe, then, that
there is another woman?a counter.
feit of myself?"
"It Is the only theory feasible; yon
have convinced me of that. Will you
believe what I say?"
"Implicitly."
"Perhaps it sounds like a fairy tale,"
' he spoke frankly, his eyes seeking her
own, all their surroundings forgotten
In the eagerness of the moment, "hut I
will tell you the exnct truth. Ilefore
this misunderstanding occurred you
> I inwi * ? -
. . ...??? vvni.uwi in IIIU, UlldlCU lilt", ill"
though I was a stranger and I believed
absolutely In your story. I had
I that basis to rest on. Then I got hobl
of various odds and ends of evidence
which convinced me that something
was wrong?that you were actually
< being conspired against. I even gained
I a suspicion that F'erclval Coolldge was
' the actual leader of the conspiracy.
' Yon could never have been made prisI
oner in that cottage without his connivance;
he must have lured you there
4 for that particular purpose, so thai
this otter glri could take your place
without danger of discovery. The rea'
I sou for I'ercivnl's participation Is on1
I ly a guess, hut my theory is foe felI
low loll) Wi i illtr Mill four ?*?*?!
, 1 the time for final accounting whs so
near, lie had to take a desperate
! chance !n order to save himself.
"My own theory Is tliat when Hohart
, learned what I'erclvul Ooolldge proposed
doing, his own crindnul tendenf
cies told him that here Was some easy
5 ( money. The girl was tindouhtedly
Wholly under his control; some denizen
f of the underworld prfnddy. Slie had
i ( already played her part autlicieutly
I VV a*I I lit IliJ.u * rv# "
, I " v.. I," VWIIMUVU 1IW1FUU "l
. | ^Continued on Last Pago)